[throwawaylolx]

And is "real-time bidding" an otherwise uncommon ad strategy that is relatively specific to the these websites? If it is, then I can understand the alarmism, but otherwise this news can be compressed to "UK council websites use targeted ads," right?

[chriswarbo]

> is "real-time bidding" an otherwise uncommon ad strategy that is relatively specific to the these websites?

The alarm does not come from the technology being uncommon, it comes from these sites being uncommon. In particular, there aren't many sites which millions of people may rely-on/be-directed-to in order to exercise their rights (e.g. to healthcare and social services), or even for their life or their friend's/family's.

The argument of "if you don't like it, don't use it" doesn't apply here. It's especially egregious that these sites are built and operated using public money, so we're paying for it regardless.

[farazbabar]

No. The issue is the means used to target ads on this site are transmitted back to ad servers and used outside this context which is a nightmare scenario.

[throwawaylolx]

Is this not how targeted ads are expected to work?

[komali2]

Why are there ads on a website funded by taxes?

[kmlx]

extra income?

[scarejunba]

In order to easily cross-promote other services with suppression and retargeting. Someone able to edit some content can do it rather than requiring the CMS to support this and training the council staff on this.